Feels like home
by Ad Astra Per Alia Porci
Summary: FINISHED! Dan and Zoe share a dance at Sophia's wedding. Please R
1. The set up

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, if you would kindly stand to the side of the dance floor, the new couple will share their first dance as man and wife!" The young DJ's voice boomed through the microphone.

As requested, everyone present formed a rough square around the centre of the room, which was being used as the dancing area. Peter grabbed Sophia's hand and led her gently into the very middle. They took their starting positions and waited impatiently for the music to begin playing. As _Endless Love_ began, Peter slowly guided his wife to the music. Sophia looked deep into her lover's eyes and everyone else in the room seemed to vanish. Her cheeks were sore from wearing her wide smile for so long, but for the life of her she could not make it disappear. Neither could ever remember being as happy as they were at that moment. Peter lowered his face closer to his spouse and finally broke eye contact as he shut his eyes to deliver his kiss.

Seated at the head table, Zoe Busiek had a perfect view of the entire floor. The bliss radiating from the couple was contagious; Zoe was feeling a faint sting in her face from smiling all day long. However, as happy as she was for her friend, she couldn't help but feel the cold stab of jealousy as she watched them circle in the spot light. She wished more than anything that it was her and her true love stealing everyone's attention, locking lips in the middle of the room. She found her spirits slowly dropping the longer that she watched Sophia and Peter; however, she was mesmerized by the joyful couple and could not look away.

"Ah, marriage," a familiar male voice scattered Zoe's thoughts and send the butterflies in her stomach into a tizzy. "The end of the beginning, and the beginning of the end." The man finished his thought and sat down in seat to her right.

"Cynic," Zoe responded, turning slightly to look at her partner. Dan chuckled and watched the newly weds for a minute. As he watched the couple, Dan's mind replaced the real groom with himself, and his old partner with his new one. He smiled slightly at the thought of Mrs. Zoe Lennox.

"Careful Dan, you're soft side is showing." Zoe poked the edge of his smile with the knuckle of her index finger.

"Shhh! Someone might hear you!" He slapped her hand away from his face. She giggled and began to say something but was interrupted by a long yawn.

"Urrrah," she finished, "Guess the day's excitement is finally getting to me."

"Yeah, because it's so exhausting being a bride's maid." Dan said snidely.

"For your information, it is hard. In Vegas I was a bride's maid many, many times, my friend, and there are so many stories that I don't even know where to begin." She laughed at mysterious memories she didn't share with Dan.

"Many, many times, eh?" Dan asked.

"Hey, working at Elvis's Chapel of Love... I was _always_ the bride's maid."

"Always a bride's maid, never a bride." Dan repeated the old cliché in a light-hearted manner, but the words hit a little too close to home to Zoe. She must have let her hurt show on her face. Dan's smile faded as he noticed her flicker of pain. "I'm sorry, Zoe. I was... I meant..." he started but was cut off by the DJ.

"Here's another lovely song, for anyone who wishes to join the couple on the floor." The DJ's voice announced to the room as Chantal Kreviazuk's song _Feels Like Home _came through the speakers scattered around the room.

"I didn't think it would bother you," Dan finished.

"Don't worry about it," she smiled weakly at him, "I just sometimes wonder when it'll be my turn to be out there." She gestured to Sophia and Peter on the quickly filling dance floor.

Dan stood up suddenly with his hand held out towards his partner. This was just the chance he was hoping for. She looked at him quizzically. "Right now, I can't change you from a bride's maid into a bride, but I can give you a turn out there." He grinned boyishly, silently praying she would accept.

Zoe looked up at Dan's face. How could she resist? She didn't know what it was about his formal attire-- after all, it wasn't too far from the suits he normally to the office-- but there was something about it that made him even more attractive then usual. "Okay, but you had better watch those hands buddy!" she joked, trying to hide some of her enthusiasm.

"I make no promises," he warned as she accepted his hand to help her up.


	2. The dance

As she slipped her own hand into his, Dan felt as if his legs had turned to jell-O. The effect that Zoe had on him was amazing. He smoothly led her through the crowd of people and onto a good spot on the dance floor.

The sexual tension between the pair created an awkward moment as Dan debated how close he should hold Zoe. She looked positively beautiful today. Her curly hair was pulled up with only two sections of her bangs left loose to frame her face. Her make-up was soft and natural, and she was wearing a light blue bride's maid dress with accented her curves. His nerves got the better of him. As they began to dance, there was enough room between them to fit another person. However, this distance also had its charm. It made them face to face.

At first, Zoe found herself gazing into Dan's handsome face, and action which Dan gladly mimicked. However, she quickly realized what she was doing and became self-conscious. She turned her face away from Dan and glanced around at all the other couples dancing. Dan smiled thoughtfully to himself. Zoe's nervousness meant that, even if only for that split second, she felt what he did. In that lost moment, while carefully scanning each other, Dan saw the same care that he felt for Zoe mirrored back in her eyes.

Zoe stole a quick glance back at Dan, and found him still searching her face. Both smiled slightly and looked away embarrassed. Finally uncomfortable by the lack of conversation both partner's tried to start one up, still trying to avoid facing each other.  
"The wedding's so--" Zoe began.  
"I don't think that I--" Dan said. They both chuckled. "What were you saying?"

"I was just going to say how beautiful the wedding was..." she murmured quietly.

"Beautiful..." Dan chewed on the word for a moment, causing Zoe to look up at his face again. "The very word I was searching for," he said staring intently at her to make sure that she recognized the compliment. She smiled and blushed feverishly, letting him know that she understood his meaning. Zoe took a step closer to Dan, so that she could hide her face from his eyes until it had a chance to cool down, a task which suddenly seemed harder to achieve since there was only and inch between their bodies now. Dan moved his hand from its previous position on her hip onto the small of her back.

Since his more subtle attempt at flattery had been well received he decided to repeat his statement more clearly. "Really, Zoe, I've never seen anything as beautiful as you look tonight."

"You clean up fairly well yourself," she responded trying to sound casual. Dan began to laugh. The sound warmed her heart, even though she feared he was laughing at her. "What?" she questioned, not daring to move her face back to look at him.

"Don't go all lovey-dovey on me, now!" he exclaimed sarcastically. Zoe laughed softly and then moved her face back. She removed her hand from his and placed it gently on the side of his face and turned it so he was looking at her.

"Dan, you're the best looking guy in the room," she said seriously. He smiled, and wordlessly took her hand back into his, this time placing both on top of his chest, roughly above where his heart was hidden. In this new position Zoe could feel Dan's heart pounding a-mile-a-minute. She put her face against his, so that they were dancing cheek to cheek.

"Just in the room?" he cracked softly. She giggled and they fell into a silent spell.

For Dan, this stance was what dreams were made of. Zoe's presence was intoxicating. The combination of her sweet smell and the feeling of her soft skin against his and underneath his fingertips (the bride maid's dress had a criss-cross pattern on the back which left most of it open) left Dan feeling weak in the knees. The only thing that kept him up-right was the fear of losing this moment.

Zoe closed her eyes as she brushed her face up against Dan's. The feel of his freshly shaven face against hers had a strangely calming effect. She had never really paused to think about how comfortable she felt around Dan. She hadn't known him for very long, but she felt more secure with him than she did with almost anyone. Dan's presence meant serenity. Even when they were investigating something dangerous, or cornered by a psycho determined to get his insurance money, as long as Dan was with her, she knew that everything would be fine in the end. She gently rubbed his back with the hand that had been perched on his shoulder. She could feel the tension in his muscles, and worked them around a bit until they relaxed a little more.

Dan followed Zoe's lead and moved his fingers in a circular motion on her back. The movement sent shivers down her spine, it was as if his fingertips had shot electricity. He moved his hand farther around her body, closing the distance between their bodies. He pressed her against his entire body. It wasn't a move that was driven solely by sexual desires but rather by the craving to connect with Zoe in everyway possible, to be as close to her physically as he wanted to be spiritually.

Zoe tightened her grasp around Dan's neck. Everywhere on their bodies made contact. This gave Zoe a curious sensation; it was one that she associated with driving quickly through a hilled area. It reminded her of speeding along a dip in the road, the feeling of slightly falling and leaving one's stomach hovering at the previous height. It left a tingling feeling in the pit of her stomach and left her with a mix of emotions. It felt weird and scary and exciting and oddly satisfying all at the same time. She decided it was a feeling that enjoyed, and was eager to make it happen again.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open. 'What am I doing? This is Dan! My partner! I can't feel this way about him!' a voice screamed inside her head. Her logic willed her to break apart from the man's warm embrace before it was too late, but she could do it. Her heart made it clear that it was already too late to prevent. 'When did this happen? And how...?' she wondered silently. She pictured her partners chiselled features- his strong jaw and slightly crooked nose, his short sandy hair, and his icy blue eyes that pierced her soul. Then she thought of his best feature: his smile. He was so charming when he revealed his pearly white teeth; it warmed her heart every time he beamed at her. She thought of her last self-imposed question, and then responded herself, 'how could it not happen?' She would have to confront herself and him about this later, but for right now, all that she wanted to do was savour the moment. She closed her eyes once more, and nestled her head into the crook of his neck.

Dan lifted his chin slightly to rest it softly on top of Zoe's head. He tried to make little observations to remember exactly what he was feeling right now. He noted creamy, smooth feeling of her skin, the faint fruity-smelling scent that her shampoo left on her hair, the pressure he felt on his chest as her bosom rose and fell with each breath. He even noted how tiny her hand felt while enveloped by his own. He prayed that the song would never end, but he was ready to recall his mental notes for when it would inevitably finish.


	3. When the music stops

No sooner had he thought it, than the lyrics ended, signalling that the end of the song was not far behind. Zoe also noticed the threat of the conclusion and cursed in a hushed tone. She lifted her head and opened her eyes, mentally preparing herself to face him again, but not daring to be the first one to pull back and force the meeting. The music was still playing softly but they both knew it would end in a matter of seconds. Dan had heard Zoe swear and it renewed his confidence. She felt it, he knew she did. He decided he had better make a move now, before Zoe was able to push those romantic inklings from her mind and pretend they never existed. He summoned all the courage he could muster and loosened his grip around Zoe's body.

Zoe heard Dan take a sharp breath and felt a chill in the spot on her back that his hand had been resting. As he moved it back to its original spot on her hip, she adjusted her own grasp to allow him to take a step back. As soon as he moved back their eyes locked. Zoe thought desperately for something to say- whether to hide her feelings or finally express them- but all her coherent thoughts were scattered by the intensity of his stare. With the hand that Dan still held tightly to his chest, she felt his heart speed up even faster.

Dan searched her eyes for a minute, for any clues on how she would react if he went where his heart was telling him to. Not finding anything resembling a negative response, he began closing the gap between their lips. He made sure to move in slowly to give her enough time to pull away if she didn't want his affection. There was less than an inch between them now. Zoe shut her eyes and tilted her face slightly upwards to give him access more readily. He could feel her hot breath on his lips and could scarcely hear the faint trailing melody of the song over his pounding heart. He shut his eyes, and held his breath, intent on closing the rest of the space between them. He was just about to make contact when a bright light went off. Although both participants had their eyes shut, the room was dim enough that the flash to startle them.

When they opened their eyes they saw a photographer standing a few feet away, grinning at them shyly. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt..." he apologized hurriedly and with a wink added, "Carry on," and then he ran to the other side of the dance floor to grab other candid photos. Dan watched the man cross the room (he could kill that guy for his lousy timing), but Zoe returned her attention to Dan. She studied him for a brief moment and then dropped the hand that had been perched on his shoulder so that she had both hand on his chest. Her movement caught his attention and he looked back at her. The moment he looked back at her face he knew that he had missed his chance. The song ended. After some hesitation she met his eyes, and Dan could see all the doubts and worries and fears she felt. He knew that she was already writing off their dance, storing it in the back of her mind so she could pretend that it never happened. Her gaze dropped to her hands, specifically the one enveloped by his. She tried to wriggle out of his grasp but he wouldn't let go so easily.

"Zoe..." his voice pleaded with her. She looked back up into his eyes, and for a moment Dan saw a spark of feeling, a brief glimmer of hope, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. Her eyes became gloomy as she gave into her fears. 'Where's the optimism when I need it?' Dan questioned silently. Another song blasted to life through the speakers around the floor, making Dan jump and release Zoe's hand by mistake. By the time Dan realized that he had let go she was backing away slowly. "Thanks for the dance, Dan," she called softly and spun on her heels and quickly disappeared from sight.

Dan stood there for a couple of minutes, his head bowed, staring at the floor. His throat tightened and he felt an unfamiliar sting behind his eyes. He hadn't cried over a girl since... well, he never has. He chewed on his lower lip, biting back his tears. He clenched his fists down at his sides. He needed a drink.

From their place in the centre of the dance floor, Sophia and Peter were able to catch everything that happened. They were both idiots. Zoe was an idiot for denying what was obviously there between them and constantly running away from it, and Dan was an idiot for letting her. She watched sadly as Zoe took off towards the balcony and Dan stood there looking pathetic. After a moment she saw him head to the bar.

"He should go after her, not get drunk," commented Peter matter-of-factly.

"Idiots," Sophia sighed, "Peter, do you think that you could..."

"Of course," Peter interrupted her. He knew what she wanted to do, what she wanted him to do. He gave her a brief kiss and they headed towards their respective targets.


	4. The bar scene

Dan wasted no time. By the time Peter had reached the bar Dan had already taken two shots of whiskey and was clutching his third. Peter sat on the vacant stool to Dan's left, stealing Dan's attention from his drink. Dan glanced at Peter and offered a weak smile but didn't say anything. Instead Dan acknowledged his presence by tilting his head and raising his drink in the air as if toasting Peter. Then threw the whiskey back and placed the empty shot glass on the bar with a faint clank. He clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes shut as the liquid created a slight burning sensation as it travelled down his throat. When he opened his eyes, he placed his hand back in the air and looped it around while bellowing at the bar tender, "Keep 'em coming!"

"You know, it's a free bar _all_ night, not just the next two minutes..." Peter tried to make his request for Dan to slow down come off lightly, not wanting to offend Dan. After all, he didn't really know the guy as anything more than his wife's co-worker. Dan studied Peter for a minute, noting his tactful approach, and nodded his head resignedly and focused his attention at the bar, staring at his hands tightly clenched and resting on the bar's surface. The pair sat in silence for a moment, until the bar tender arrived with two more shots. Dan slid one over to Peter without looking in his direction and pulled the other closer to himself. However, instead of immediately shooting it back the way he had the previous three, he simply traced the rim of the glass with his finger absent-mindedly. He let out a deep sigh as he thought about what he could have done differently a couple of minutes ago that would have left him with a happier disposition.

Peter seemed to read his mind. "You didn't do anything wrong," Peter said mimicking Dan's position at the bar, so that both were facing the drinks in front of them instead of each other. "She's just a little scared... you just need to show her that there's nothing to be afraid of."

"If only I could." Dan replied sadly, still staring straight ahead. He was a little surprised at how frail and broken his voice sounded. He dipped the tip of his finger into the drink and brought a few drops to his mouth, letting the liquor sit for a minute scorching his lips before licking it away. Suddenly he turned to Peter, as if he had just realized something. "You shouldn't be here babysitting me; it's your wedding night."

"Don't worry about it, I still have all night, I can spare some time to hang out at the bar," Peter smiled as he waved his hand through the air, as if swatting away Dan's ridiculous notion.

"No, I'm sorry. I feel like an incredible ass. Don't worry about me. I'm fine." He paused looking over and seeing a very unconvinced groom looking back at him, "Really. It's okay." Dan said hardening his resolve.

Peter chuckled, appreciating Dan's selflessness. "Fine, I'll leave you alone... if you get away from Steve here," he vaguely indicated to the bartender, "and go for a walk or something instead."

"Fine," Dan relented, feeling guilty for using up too much of Peter's special night already. "Well, Doctor Pete, this one's to you and Sophia." He ceremoniously raised his glass in a salute to the marriage. Peter clinked glasses and both men tipped their heads back with the drink. Dan slapped Peter on the back as he got up to walk away from the bar. "Congratulations... and thanks." Dan said as he retreated, trying to walk with his head held high so that Peter wouldn't see that he was still upset.

"Hey, I hear that the veranda has a great view." Peter yelled over to Dan. Dan glanced back to indicate he heard and made a B-line towards the double white doors leading to the balcony.


	5. The balcony scene

At first when Sophia walked out on to the balcony she couldn't see anyone. She thought for a minute that she had been mistaken about Zoe's destination, but when she walked to the small portion of the balcony just around the corner, she was greeted by the slumped-over silhouette of her once partner. Her normally bubbly, happy-go-lucky best friend was a mere shadow of her former self. Zoe's back was against the marble railing, her elbows resting lightly and her head tilted back apparently star gazing. Her body shuddered occasionally as silent sobs slipped by despite her best efforts. Sophia slowly approached her friend, and lightly cleared her throat to warn Zoe of her presence. Zoe immediately snapped to attention and hastily tried to wipe away her tears and any other traces of her emotions.

"Hey," Sophia said softly, stopping just in front of Zoe. The balcony was fairly dark, the only traces of light coming from between the curtains from the already dim event room and the stars. Still, the silver tear tracks on either side of Zoe's face shone in reflected light.

Zoe tried her best to make her voice sound normal. "Hey," she replied, failing her task miserably. "I was just... uh... looking at the stars..." she pointed dumbly to the sky overhead. Sophia followed the direction of her finger.

"Beautiful..." Sophia said off-hand. If she hadn't been focused on the universe overhead she would have noticed Zoe wince at the word. It made her remember the conversation with Dan earlier. _Beautiful...the very word I was searching for._ Another tear slid down Zoe's face. She tried to wipe it away quickly before Sophia saw, but she wasn't quick enough. "Want to talk about it?" Sophia asked quietly, extending a hand to Zoe's shoulder.

"Talk about what?" Zoe made her voice monotone to hide any emotions.

"Dan." Sophia replied simply, not wanting to play this game.

"Oh, him." Zoe spoke softly lowering her eyes.

"Zoe, why are you doing this to him? To yourself?" She paused for a minute trying to gage Zoe's reaction before proceeding with a gentler tone, "Its there between you. Everyone can see it. It's always been there." Zoe shifted her weight from foot to foot and chewed on her lower lip considering what Sophia was saying. "Why are you doing this?" she repeated her initial question.

"Because I'm scared, alright?" Zoe snapped at her friend causing Sophia to remove her hand from Zoe's shoulder. Zoe took a breath and tried again, calmer. "Because I'm afraid of ruining what we already have. I'm afraid of losing my best friend. I don't want everything to change; what if things get weird?"

"Well, who said change was a bad thing? What if you took a chance and things did change, only for the better? A happily-ever-after is staring you right in the face; all you have to do is open the book." Sophia smiled at her friend.

"But what if I do start this, and he can't see it through to the happy ending? You've seen how he is with women, Sophia! How do I know I won't be just another notch in his belt? I--" her voice cracked with emotion, "I don't think I could bounce back from that. If it doesn't work out... for whatever reason... I mean we're partners! I'd have to see him **everyday**!" she finished emphatically.

Sophia was about to reply but before she got the chance she was cut off by Dan.

"Zoe," he said his voice filled with passion, "I want the fairy-tale ending."


	6. The moment of truth

Zoe focused beyond Sophia to look at Dan. He was leaning casually against the wall with his hands shoved in his pockets and his head tilted at a 45 degree angle, making him eye level to Zoe. She opened her mouth to respond to him but her voice got caught in her throat. Sophia, who found herself stuck in the middle, glanced uneasily between the two. After nearly a minute of awkward silence had passed, Sophia spoke up. "I... I'd better be getting inside... you know... being the hostess and all," she excused herself and hurried back to the doors leading to the wedding reception.

They both watched Sophia until she was out of eyesight, then they focused their attention on each other again. Dan caught and held her gaze as he pushed himself off the wall with his shoulder and sauntered closer to Zoe. As he approached she mechanically took a step back-- or at least tried, but she found the concrete railing preventing her from getting too far away. Dan, noticing her vain attempt at a retreat, stopped a few feet away from her; he stood just beyond arms reach. "Zoe, I promise, you have nothing to be afraid of." He pulled his hands out of his pockets and extended them towards her without moving his feet any closer, "it's different this time... I'm ready to--"

"Don't," Zoe held out her arms to block his hands from touching her.

"No, don't do this." He pulled his hands back towards him, and laced them together resting them in front of his stomach. He softened he tone but persisted, "Don't do this because you're scared about what'll happen if it doesn't work out; it _will_ work. Everything will be better. You just have to trus--"

"Stop!" Zoe snapped at him. "This isn't fair!" She approached him quickly, her index finger extended towards him accusingly, and her eyes filled with anger.

"Wha-" Dan started to protest, as he backed up instinctively.

"It's not fair that you got to stand there, smugly listening to me pouring my heart out! You were just waiting for that weren't you!?" She had backed Dan into the opposing wall. "Just lurking in the shadows, waiting to hear why I won't get involved with you, so that you can use it against me! It's not fair that you know exactly how I feel without exposing yourself at all!"

"Hey! I didn't mean to hear that, I didn't even know you were out here!" He defended himself vehemently, raising his hands in front of him in surrender. "And what do you mean I haven't exposed myself!? I've never hidden my feelings for you, Zoe! I've asked you out for drinks more times than I can remember and have you forgotten about that day in the elevator? Or how about in that motel room? And what about today? Was I not exposing myself when I tried to kiss you inside? Or when I came out here and told you I wanted to start something too?" Zoe had opened her mouth but once again couldn't get her mouth to respond to him. Dan searched her face trying to figure out what she wanted to hear, "What is there left to say? What can I tell you that you don't already know? Do you just want to hear me say it? Fine! I want you and I'm terrified beyond belief that you don't want me in the same way! But I've wanted this _so_ badly for _so_ long! You're worth the risk, Zoe! Our friendship means just as much to me as it does to you, but I'm willing to risk what we have because I _know_ that it'll make it even better!" He smiled briefly to try and convince her that he was sincere.

"No!" she shook her head violently, trying to convince herself that he wasn't telling her the truth. "I know why you're glad you heard me: so that you can say exactly the right things to change my mind!" She pounded a fist on his chest angrily, which he deftly caught and pinned there. She continued with her rant. "So you can--So you can win me over with your smooth talk..." she paused trying to regain the train of thought that the proximity of Dan's body was quickly derailing. "...and your charming smile..." her voice had lost all conviction and she forgot the point that she was trying to make, "...and ... and..." She trailed off, gaping up at Dan helplessly. The only coherent thought in her head was questioning why she wasn't snuggled up next to him, and for the life of her, she couldn't remember the answer.

Dan gazed lovingly at Zoe throughout her entire speech, searching her eyes for hope. At first all he saw was fury blazing in her eyes. However, as he watched, her fiery stare was quickly clouded over with a different kind of passion. He smiled incredulously as he watched the transformation. He bent down and kissed her lips quickly, making sure that they wouldn't get interrupted this time. It was a soft, gentle kiss so that he didn't scare her away again. After a moment he pulled away, despite his better judgment. He was confident that he and Zoe were on the same page, but he had to be sure that she was as invested as he was.

The initiation of the kiss had caught Zoe slightly off-guard, so it took her a couple of seconds to react. She was overcome by the sensation of his soft, moist lips sliding gracefully over hers. All too soon, she felt Dan begin to raise his head away from her. She tried to delay the loss of contact by stepping onto her toes, but it didn't help by much. She kept her eyes shut for a moment after they parted, and bit her lower lip lightly. Her lips were still tingling from Dan's sweet touch. When she opened her eyes, she met Dan's expectant stare. His face was torn between two conflicting emotions. His eyebrows were furrowed with worry, but his mouth curved upwards at the corners in a dreamy smile. His eyes clearly displayed his thoughts; they were glazed over with passion and fear while waiting for her reaction. "It's not fair," she whispered as she opened her fists that were still resting on his chest, and laced her fingers with his, her mouth forming a smile.

"What's not fair?" he whispered back, grinning back and leaning his head down towards her so his forehead rested on hers. Her flushed face, twinkling eyes, and intimate gesture let Dan know where he stood with her.

"I had a list of reasons," she paused and gave Dan's mouth a quick kiss before continuing. "I had a list of reasons why we shouldn't do this," she moved their intertwined hands so that they hung on either side of their bodies, "but as soon as you come near me," she released his hands and moved them to his wrists, "as soon as you touch me," she smiled and started to slide her hands up along his strong arms, "I can't remember a single one of them." She had reached his shoulders and began sliding her hands back to loop around his neck.

"So I'm amnesia now?" He smiled happily at her and rested his hands on her hips.

"No, you're not amnesia... you _cause_ it. You make my mind go blank and I can't think of what to say." She gave him a wide, toothy smile.

"So then I'm a miracle," He quipped smugly.

"How do you figure that?" She laughed at his mock arrogance.

"I can render Zoe Busiek speechless," he beamed proudly.

"Temporarily. And it's not that miraculous. In Vegas there was--" she started to begin another one of her infamous Vegas stories but Dan cut her off with another kiss. He wrapped his arms tightly around her body, pulling her as close as he could, and kissed her deeply with all the passion that had built up over the time he had known her. When they broke away from each other to catch their breath, Dan looked over at Zoe. Once more her mouth was open but no words were coming out. Dan smirked at her, "It's a little bit miraculous."

"My Prince Charming," she said, half joking.

"My happily-ever after," he responded completely serious. He kissed her hand, laced his fingers with hers, and led her through the double doors and back into the reception, "we have a ball to get back to."

The End... let me know what you think.


End file.
